I’m currently planning my trip for this year. Even though it would be my 4th *ONE* I could use some help getting it all sorted out (and booked before the 10% off sale ends).

In the past I’ve gone to Qantas Travel to book it, only because I couldn’t book it myself online. I had hoped to be able to book it with the online tool this year, but it doesn’t appear to be working. If it doesn’t start working again, what are my other options? I’d like to avoid the $50+ booking fee from Qantas Travel and the QF fuel fees.


The current itinerary plan is:

Sep 4 CBR-SYD-LAX-PDX (extra flight to PDX on AS. Would like to book on a QF code if at all possible.)
Sep 7/8 PDX-ABQ (extra flight, likely on WN)
Sep 10 ABQ-DFW-DEN
Sep 13/14 DEN-BOS
Sep 17 BOS-ATL (options appear to be connecting through ORD, MIA or STL. Which one is better?)
Sep 20 ATL-LHR
Sep 23 LHR-SIN
Sep 24 SIN-KUL
Sep 26/27 KUL-NRT
Sep 30 NRT-KIX
Oct 2 KIX-SIN-MEL (want to avoid the mess of SYD Arrivals)
Oct 4 MEL-CBR

The reason for the SYD-LAX flight is QF11 (A380). If it was a 744, I’d take QF73 to SFO.
I want to get QF32 LHR-SIN. Two reasons, first it’s better timed for me (allowing a full day in Singapore to get some shopping done), second, it’s an A380. Would QF check me through to KUL from LHR (as it’s a same day connecting flight on JL721) or would I have to recheck in the afternoon when I got back to the airport?

I should be back to Silver/Ruby by the time I take this trip (I lost it last year at the end of July, 5 days before I left on my last *ONE*).

Thoughts?

You need to clarify your routing on OW flights. You can't use AS on an LONE4 even with a QF codeshare number. If you want to use AA for LAX-PDX-ABQ that will require 4of your 6 flights in N AM. There are are no single number flights for DEN-BOS, BOS-ATL so that will require connections. I would save a segment and take the bus between KUL-SIN or buy a LCC return. Try this.
CBR-SYD-LAX//DFW-DEN-ORD-BOS-DFW-ATL-LHR-SIN-NRT-KIX-SIN-MEL-CBR

I thought it was fairly clear...

CBR-SYD-LAX/ABQ-DFW-DEN-BOS-ATL-LHR-SIN-KUL-NRT-KIX-SIN-MEL-CBR

Well, since you did not include the required connections for DEN-BOS and BOS-ATL, that made it confusing to understand. So you are over your 16 segment limit and must revise your itinerary.

You can start by putting it through "MilageMonkey":

http://slfft.allhyper.com/0.95/award.htm

This will do most of your validation, main omission stopovers in orginan continent are not checked - you have a maximum of two.

Don't need to connect on DEN-BOS if I get AA1210. It stops at ORD, but continues on to BOS with the same number. Will count as one sector just as QF107/108 or any of the BA/QF flights between MEL/SYD-LHR.
I already know about the BOS-ATL. I have to connect in ORD, DFW, STL or MIA. I asked which connection was the better option.

This is what I've currently got in the planner (and is showing as vaild):

Interesting that you've got the AA codeshare CBR-SYD, without then flying on with AA to LAX. While the AA timetable shows you can do this, the opinion of others ohas been that you couldn't do it without the onward AA flight

Checking the AA pdf timetable, flight AA1210 does not show as being DEN-BOS via ORD. It in fact shows up three(!) times in the timetablebut it must be 'in the system' as DEN-BOS in September when you fly^

To make it clearer, here are my questions again.

1. I am wanting QF11 because it is the A380 on that date. Should I deal with the mess of TBIT and a change to T3 in order to travel on the A380, or just get QF73 to SFO?

2. LAX/SFO-PDX. I can't get this as part of the *ONE*. Is it at all possible to book another ticket for the QF code of an AS flight, as I'm connecting to it from a flight on a different ticket? I’ve had airlines check me on to a connection on another ticket before.

3. BOS-ATL. I have to connect somewhere. Options appear to be ORD, DFW, MIA or STL. Which is better?

4. I get QF32 LHR-SIN (arrives 0815), connecting to JL721 SIN-KUL (departing 1950). I don’t want one of the other flights (QF10, BA15, BA11) as they are later flights. QF32 allows me to spend the day in Singapore. Will QF check me in through to KUL, or will I have to worry about my bag and check in again when I get back to the airport after lunch?

5. I want AA to ticket instead of QF in order to avoid QFs fuel fees. However the online booking tool doesn’t appear to be working (keeps tossing up an error message after clicking on ‘book now’ to see the price. Wasn’t doing that before and no routing or flights have changed). If the booking tool doesn’t start working again, how to I get AA to ticket? Do I need to call them in Dallas or is there an email option?

Anyone?...

1. TBIT is not that much of a mess, especially for arrivals.
2. It's easy enough to book directly on the AS flight. A bit more complicated to book the QF code if it's on a different ticket from your international flights.
3. If I had WP, I'd go via ORD (or MIA 2nd) for it's Flounge. Other than that DFW should make it easy.
4. Yes, they should.
5. If you are booking from Australia, see this thread on AFF: http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/comm...esk-12473.html

So it's the reverse of SYD then?
I've never been in the TBIT before (at least that I remember). Every other time I've been through LAX it was a same terminal connection (Only time I've changed terminals at LAX was Jan 1995. I don't remember it in enough detail). It's changing from TBIT to T3 that is giving me the biggest worries, followed by CBP processing time in TBIT.
hmm... Or at least the AA code. If I get the AS code, I just get points. I don't care about points, I want status credits.
Something to think about... I currently have it down as BOS-MIA-ATL. I'll only have Ruby at the time of this trip, so I wouldn't be able to get into the Flounge.
Even if I plan to leave the airport during the 11 hour layover?
I had planned to do that last year, but then the issues happened in BKK and I got my ticket changed to say in SIN overnight before going to KIX. JAL wouldn't let me check in as early as QF would have.
Thanks, I'll have a read of that. Though it appears that I've worked out what the problem with the booking tool was and Oneworld are looking into it.

TBIT arrivals depends very much on time of day. Can be 5 minutes or well over an hour to get through immigration.

At a minimum you could check your bags through from LHR all the way to KUL.

What's it like mid morning when QF11 arrives? (I was through in about 10 mins last year, but that was on QF107 into T4 before getting back on the plane for New York).

That's a relief.